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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by MM on December 17, 2004, at 16:49:46
It seems like you guys know a lot here, about supplements/vitamins and the way they work. I have read a fair amount on different vitamins and supplements, but it all gets pretty confusing to me, and I'm scared I'm going to hurt myself somehow because I am not informed enough or don't understand what I'm reading well enough. I dislike my meds, but will take them if I have to. I do have hope however, that I could get off some of them with the right nutritional or other therapy. I just can't put it all together. How did you guys come to understand them the way that you do? Do any of you go to "alternative" doctors or pdocs who are understanding of Orthomolecular treatments? Did you just do trial and error on your own? I am excited about nutritional therapies, but I feel helpless to implement them.
I am currently diagnosed as Bipolar II and my biggest problems are anxiety (with panic attacks; could probably be diagnosed with every type of anxiety disorder there is) and depression. When I'm supposedly hypomanic, it presents as a great amount of anxiety instead of an "up" time. I don't like SSRI's and I believe my problems to be more dopamine related than serotonin.
Any response or insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, MM.P.S. Have you found anything helpful for weight problems? Do the alternative treatments you are using have weight side effects?
Posted by linkadge on December 22, 2004, at 10:38:12
In reply to BPII, hate meds, have many questions, posted by MM on December 17, 2004, at 16:49:46
Which medications are you currently taking ??
Linkadge
Posted by MM on December 23, 2004, at 4:38:49
In reply to Re: BPII, hate meds, have many questions, posted by linkadge on December 22, 2004, at 10:38:12
I am on: Buproprion (generic Wellbutrin 50 mg), Lexapro (5mg, although that seemed like too much and was making me feel bad so I am cutting it in half, so 2.5 mg for now...want to get off it), Trileptal (900 mg at night), Clonazepam (generic Klonopin? .5mg at night) and Synthroid (50 mcg).
Posted by cache-monkey on January 2, 2005, at 1:38:19
In reply to BPII, hate meds, have many questions, posted by MM on December 17, 2004, at 16:49:46
[responding to your post in reverse order]
"I am currently diagnosed as Bipolar II and my biggest problems are anxiety (with panic attacks; could probably be diagnosed with every type of anxiety disorder there is) and depression. When I'm supposedly hypomanic, it presents as a great amount of anxiety instead of an "up" time. I don't like SSRI's and I believe my problems to be more dopamine related than serotonin."
What you just wrote basically describes me perfectly. The one thing is I'm not sure about whether it's dopamine or serotonin for me, but I'm leaning toward DA. I don't like SSRIs for other reasons: weight gain and sexual side effects, and because my Celexa/Lexapro + Wellbutrin trial made me hypomanic for a while. (Wellbutrin alone took care of some of my depressive and socially-anxious symptoms, but made me more edgy and obsessional.)
If my current traditional med cocktail (low-dose BuSpar and Lamictal) doesn't pan out, I'm thinking of trying low-dose selegiline, which is very dopaminergic. The one thing I'm worried about with that is a worsening of my anxiety. Do you by any chance have any experience with selegiline? I'm also looking for more natural substances to help with my issues, which is why I'm here.
"Did you just do trial and error on your own? I am excited about nutritional therapies, but I feel helpless to implement them."
My approach has been to read up a bit on the various supplements posted here (especially the very useful info Larry Hoover provides) and then, yeah, just do trial and error. I try to change only one or two things at a time, and then track my mood. This is hard, though, since I'm also cycolthymic/BP II (see above), but after a while I tend to get a gut feeling for whether something's working or not. If I don't think it's working, I remove it from my regimen and then track my moods again. It's kind of tedious, and frustratingly slow at times, but I feel like I've made a little progress so far.
Good luck,
cache-monkey
Posted by MM on January 2, 2005, at 2:13:15
In reply to Re: BPII, hate meds, have many questions » MM, posted by cache-monkey on January 2, 2005, at 1:38:19
Hey cache-monkey,
I haven't tried selegiline (had to look up what it was), but so far I've been on every SSRI (I think), Serzone, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Depakote, Seroquel, Klonopin (and some other benzos whose names I cannot remember) and Trileptal. There are probably a few others I've been on too. I also take Synthroid (trying to adjust dose now). I have tried Fish oil, and I do believe that it helps, so I continue to take that for the most part. I take a multi-vitamin, an extra calcium supplement, a b-vitamin complex + extra b12 and b6, selenium, biotin....hmm I think that's it right now. I tried Flax Oil, but I like the Fish Oil better. Exercise has helped me somewhat, but it is hard to get myself to do all the time. It's possible that Wellbutrin puts me on edge a bit, but it's the best I've found so far. Good luck cache.
Megoh, btw, how do you like Lamictal? BuSpar? Have you tried any other mood stabilizers?
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